Between Black & White
by Writergirl23
Summary: LokixOC Set during Avengers. Loki's quest to rule the world is being compromised by a certain someone. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's my first fanfiction. Ever. Reviews are much appreciated! **

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This was taking far too long. It felt like she'd been in here for days, maybe even a week, but she knew that wasn't possible. He told her it would be only a day, maybe a day and a half tops. War is not fought between lunch and dinner. She hadn't touched the food he left her, there was plenty of it but she just couldn't stand the thought of eating right now. This entire ordeal was going to end badly for her anyway.

After pacing around for what seemed like hours she sat on the small bed. It looked more like a shelf sticking out of the glass cell, padded with a thin mattress and an army blanket. It felt strange being in here, locked up, while -she morally knew- _he_ should be in here instead of her. The waiting was unbearable, what was happening to him, what was happening to the others, what was happening to Earth? It was so hard being in the middle of it all. Standing in the gray area between black and white, right and wrong. She couldn't stay there forever, she had to make a choice. Ava sighed and rested her head on her hands. The choice was going to be made _for_ her. It all depended on how the war played out. She got down on the bed and buried her face into her pillow, trying to stop her urge to cry.

'Ava. Here. Quick.' She jolted up at the sound of his voice. This was it, he won! She saw him standing at the other side of the glass wall, near the control panel. Blood was trickling down his face, more blood was on his ripped apart armor, gushing out of his chest.

'We're leaving, just let me-,' he stopped midsentence as he cringed from the pain, 'get you out of this thing.'

'Is it over? Did you win?' she asked.

He looked up at her but didn't answer. His expression looked broken, he was a broken boy, again. He focused on the control panel and within a split second the glass wall opened in front of her.

'Don't talk. Hold on to me' he commanded her. She did as she was told. She had learned when to keep her mouth shut and when it was allowed to verbally abuse him. Now was the time to be silent and to trust him.

* * *

**One month earlier.**

'This is the main hall. This is where we have our meals, where most of us spend our moments off duty, and most important, this is where we assemble when things go horribly wrong. Do you understand that?' Agent Coulson walked through the main hall up a wide staircase towards another area of the station. He didn't waste any time.

'Yes, Sir' Ava mumbled as she was following him.

'All the rooms in this station have impenetrable doors that can be locked. These doors can be opened by authorized personnel only. Almost everything in this building works with fingerprint recognition.' Coulson came to an abrupt halt and Ava almost bumped into him.

'As I have read your files, I have seen you have very pretty fingerprints. There is a certain authorization attached to them. You are allowed to enter the main hall, your sleeping quarters and the kitchen area, where you will work. It basically comes down to this; if you can't open the door you're not allowed in.' Coulson turned on his heels and continued the walk upstairs. Ava followed dutifully.

She was wondering whether she made the right decision by applying for this job. 'This is the control room, most of the time Agent Fury will be here and he likes to dine alone. You will take his food to him if he commands you to.' Without seeing much of the control room Agent Coulson charged on to another staircase. They walked silently through the many halls of the station until Coulson slowed down and eventually stopped in front of one of the many doors. 'Ava, this will be your sleeping/living quarters. You can access it with your thumb, like this,' he pressed his thumb on the access slot and the door opened with a click. Ava nodded understandingly.

Coulson put his hand on her shoulder. 'We are glad to have you aboard of our team. It may seem like an insignificant role amidst all these secret agents but without you we would be eating that nasty Stark-Astronauts stuff for breakfast, lunch and dinner,' he chuckled and stepped back to let her into her new quarters. 'And Ava, before I forget, don't call me Sir.' Coulson smiled, Ava nodded. 'You start working tomorrow morning at six' with that having said he walked away in the opposite direction.

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'You the new kitchen girl?' one of the Agents asked when she was sitting in the main hall later that evening. 'You seem kinda young to be working at S.H.I.E.L.D. if you ask me.'

'I'm old enough, otherwise they wouldn't have hired me would they?' Ava replied. People had been staring at her the entire day. She wasn't sure whether it was because she was new, or because she didn't look like an agent.

'So, you're the new kitchen girl?' the agent asked again. She replied. 'I am hardly the "the kitchen girl", she said a bit annoyed. 'I am the new Chef and I'm going to be in charge of anything that comes out of the kitchen, including _your_ meals.'

The agent grinned. 'I like you already! Or did you learn to cook in the military? Because if so, I might want to stick to the Stark-Astronaut stuff.'

Ava smiled. 'I learned most of my skills at home, my father is a chef as well. But during my military training I might have picked up a thing or two.' She liked this guy, he seemed honest. 'What's your name?' The agent asked her. 'Ava Karinson.' The agent shook her hand, 'Clint Barton, or otherwise known as Hawkeye.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you lovely people for reading this ^^ And thank you Mad as Hats for reviewing, it is much appreciated! There's not a lot of Loki in this one, but bear with me, it'll get better.**

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Two weeks flew by and everything started out relatively quiet. Ava had noticed that something was going on with the thing they had in one of the basements. Hawkeye had told her too much already. Everybody seemed on edge these past few days, nobody ever spoke about anything, that was the magic of S.H.I.E.L.D. Information was one of the most valuable things. Not the most valuable though. It was that thing in the basement. She knew it was none of her business and she tried to suppress her curiosity whenever she spoke to Hawkeye, Agent Coulson, or one of her other agent friends. It wasn't hard to befriend people here, it had probably to do with her cooking, she figured.

She was working on a revision of next weeks' menu when Agent Coulson walked into the kitchen with a message. Ava looked up from her papers.

'Where is everybody?' he asked. Normally the kitchen would have been filled with a dozen other cooks who worked under her command.

'I sent them out, no one is going to see the new menu! It's top secret!' she smirked, hinting at all the other stuff at the station that was labeled "top secret." Phil Coulson rolled his eyes and walked to the cookie jar to steal a few. It had been a real improvement since Ava had arrived. 'Good,' he said while putting the jar back, 'I need to talk to you.'

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'I thought this was going to be important' Ava said a bit annoyed while walking next to Coulson holding a platter of snacks and drinks.

'Food is important. Dr. Fury is going to be in the basement 24/7 now, so he will need his food delivered to him. And to us of course, we also need to eat.' Together they walked all the way to the door of the basement, with Coulsons' permission. Ava had never been there before, it sure was a lot darker and gloomier than the rest of the station. Agent Coulson opened the door and she caught a quick glimpse of the inside of the basement. 'Step back, it's for your own safety.' He brought the first platter into the basement, then walked back to take over the second one from Ava. 'Thank you' he said and smiled. At that very moment the computers started to bleep erratically, and they could hear one of the doctors say that the Tess-something was misbehaving. Dr. Fury commanded the door to be closed. Ava had never seen Fury before, but he didn't sound like someone you should mess with. 'Get back upstairs, now' Coulson commanded, more strict and serious than ever. She obeyed and hurried back upstairs. The huge doors closed behind her.

A few minutes had already passed when she heard a loud rumble from underneath the station. Alarm sirens went off and the intercom announced code Red, which meant evacuation. It was like an earthquake had hit them. She did what they had told her to do in case of code Red and she sped to one of the places where some of the trucks would be picking up people. It was like hell was breaking loose. She climbed into the nearest truck she could find and started it up. She was one of the first ones to be there. She could feel her heart almost pound out of her chest. Suddenly, out of nowhere she saw Hawkeye speeding towards her, together with one of the doctors. He jumped into the truck, shoved her roughly to the passenger side and started to drive away without even waiting for the Doctor, who was struggling to get into the car. Ava helped him get in. A few moments later she heard someone jump into the back of the truck, the weight shifted the truck but she was happy that more people where getting out of this. In the meantime the walls started to crumble and she could hear numerous people yelling. Was it Coulson she heard?

'Clint, we need to get Phil, he's still there!' He ignored her. 'Clint!' she yanked his arm but he didn't budge. It was almost as if she wasn't there.

'Doctor? There are more people out there, we need to help them!' he too ignored her. There was nothing she could do now. She looked through the rearview mirror and saw two huge horns and a staff of some sorts. This did not look well.


	3. Chapter 3

**I had a lot of trouble figuring out how I wanted them to meet each other. That is also why it took so long :') my apologies! I really have to make a solid set up for the rest of the story, for my plot could become kind of_ interesting. _Today or tomorrow I will publish ch. 4 ^^ Thank you XxLilyPopxX for reviewing! Enjoy the read.**

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She knew for sure she was going crazy. Horned men with magic sticks shooting helicopters out of the air while being invisible to Hawkeye and the professor, or whatever he was. The entire base had collapsed and almost completely disappeared in the ground. This all just looked a bit too ridiculous. Ava held her hand to her forehead, it felt normal, even under these circumstances.

After what seemed like hours they arrived at some well hid underground base. Hawkeye drove through some tunnels and parked the car abruptly in an open space, filled with computers, robots and other technology. A lot of men in lab coats manned the computer stations. The horned man jumped out of the trunk graciously and walked away before the car was even standing still.

The two men sitting beside her got out as well and Ava followed them. 'Clint, where are you going? Where are we?' she knew she wasn't going to get an answer, she had tried talking to them in the car several times but it was like she didn't exist anymore. Hawkeye and the professor walked through the lab as if they had been working there for years. Ava followed them, the only people she knew. She had to admit, this situation was scaring her, something was wrong with them. Something was wrong with _everybody_ working here, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

It was so quiet in here. If only she knew what was going on. They walked towards the very back of the lab, where she saw the horned man put a square glowing object into a robotic holder of some sorts. Was it the object from the basement that Hawkeye had mentioned one time?

'Clint, talk to me, please. Who is this man? I don't get this, it's not funny anymore' she whispered, afraid of standing out too much.

The horned man looked up as if he heard Slash playing a lawn mower on steroids. His face was blank, cold as ice. He walked towards the three approaching. His posture was perfect, gracious but manly, his stride menacing. He looked kind of _old._ Not aged, but he had the countenance of a gentleman from the 1800's. Besides that he seemed kind of unhealthy, a bit too pale, his face too slim. But _god_ he was handsome, you know, if you have the hots for the bad boy type.

His cold blue eyes where fixed upon hers, he never looked away while walking towards her. He immediately invaded her personal space, he roughly grabbed her lower jaw with his hand and drew his own face closer. As a reflex she closed her eyes and tried to turn her head but his grip was too strong.

'Did I just hear you speak, human? Open your eyes, look at me!' Ava tried even harder to move her head, she was pinned to the ground by fear, who was this lunatic? This was exactly why she became a cook, instead of a soldier or an agent.

'LOOK AT ME!' he tightened his grip further.

Ava opened her eyes, looking over his shoulder, not wanting to see this man in front of her. 'Let go of me' she uttered in shock.

'Look at me' he repeated. She looked into his eyes. She saw rage and bitterness. He saw fear and confusion in her brown eyes. _Brown_ eyes. He smelled her perfume, it was sweet and it reminded him of … food?

'Who are you? Where am I? What happened to Hawkeye and the other man?' she blurted at once.

'I will answer none of your questions.' He was the only one going to ask the questions. He had seen enough. She wasn't supposed to be here, but here she was. A stowaway. He didn't have time for this now. He needed to work on the Tessaract with Dr. Selvig. He waved his free hand and a scepter appeared.

Ava saw it come out of nowhere. Her eyes grew wide. The horned man put the pointy end of it against her chest and she let out a whimper. Was this how she was going to end? Kidnapped by a guy in a Halloween costume pricking her with a stick? The scepter felt cold, and the numbing feeling was spreading across her chest towards her brain.

Suddenly the world around her went black. Her brown eyes turned black and then changed to an icy blue.

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When she regained consciousness she was sitting at a table in a room that seemed to function as an office. The horned man sat in a big leather chair at the other side of the table. Holding tight to his scepter. She opened her mouth to talk or scream but the horned man had anticipated this.

'Scream and I'll make sure you never see daylight again.' Ava shut her mouth and looked at him in terror. His face was still blank.

'Answer my questions. Who are you?' he sneered.

'Is this some kind of interrogation? Are you the good cop or the bad cop?' she replied coldly, looking him straight into his eyes this time. Out of rage he struck her face with the scepter. Blood trickled down her nose. Apparently he was the bad cop.

'Answer my question.'

'I don't have … No. I won't.' Again he struck her face, her lip burst. This guy really needed some anger management classes. He stood up and looked at her fiercely. He was _almost_ sorry for hurting her pretty face.

'We'll try this later on.' He got up and walked away, closing the door behind him.

He had no time to deal with a wench like her. How dare she speak to him like that. Did she have any idea who he was, what he could do to her, or to everybody she loved? He had to know who she was and what she was doing here but more specifically, what kind of information she had about S.H.I.E.L.D. and what she knew about his plans. Maybe he had to use a different approach next time he went in. A more human one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you SapphireDreamer26 for reviewing! It really makes it so much more fun to write when I get feedback, it helps a lot!**

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Ava tried to stand up but she couldn't. Some invisible force was keeping her seated. _I'm losing my mind. This is not real. Soon I'll wake up at the station and get to work like every other normal day. _She was close to crying, or laughing hysterically. She wasn't quite sure yet. She heard a door open and close behind her but she wasn't even bothered to look who entered.

The horned man, without his horns and his silly suit this time, took a seat in the chair across from her. He actually looked more attractive in his new attire. A black suit with a long black overcoat, a green and grey scarf hanging loosely around his neck. She opened her mouth again, this time out of awe.

'Don't talk' he said. He was noticeably calmer, his voice a bit warmer. He leaned on the table with his elbows and folded his hands.

'I am Loki Laufeyson from Asgard, God of Mischief and Lies. Rightful king of Asgard and future ruler of Midgard' he said calmly.

'And I am Deanerys Targaryan Stormborn, mother of dragons, from Dragonstone, Westeros.' Ava snorted cynically. 'What are Asgard and Midgard?'

An amused grin – or something that looked like it – appeared on his thin lips. 'Lies. You are Ava Karinson and you work for S.H.I.E.L.D. Now tell me, there are not really dragons where you come from?' His voice not giving away any emotion.

'Maybe. What are Asgard and Midgard?'

Loki sat back. She was going to be a tough nut to crack, she was a fighter, not the weak wench he had suspected her to be. He was going to get more out of her if he shared some things himself.

'Asgard is the most powerful kingdom. Midgard is the Asgardian term for what you humans call "Earth".' Ava tried to read him, was he pulling a prank? This dream was getting weirder and weirder.

'You are going to be the ruler of Earth? Good luck with that!' she half laughed. He ignored her comment, trying to not to lose his temper. It was time to answer her unasked questions.

'You have been conscious since you arrived here, I had "reprogrammed" you for a couple of hours, so you'd stay out of my way. I have done this to your darling bowman and Dr. Selvig as well. They are part of a bigger plan, so to say. While under my spell, you will not have a will of your own. You are no threat to me as long as you are under it. It is time now for you to answer some questions. You are Ava Karinson and you work for S.H.I.E.L.D. is that correct?' He would know soon enough know if mr. bowman had spoken the truth.

'That is correct.'

'How did you get here?'

'I was trying to get out of the building during the evacuation and I got into one of the designated trucks. When Hawkeye and Dr. Selvig got in as well I thought it was because of the evac.'

He watched her face carefully. He, as God of Mischief and Lies, could pick out liars without even trying. She was being honest. 'Good girl. Now tell me all you know about S.H.I.E.L.D.'

'Their cook serves delicious food. Besides that I know nothing.' He squinted his eyes. She was still telling the truth, or she was a great liar.

'What are your special abilities?'

She shrugged. 'What do you mean by that?'

'Do you have any special powers? Are you a part of _the team_?'

'No.' What team? What powers? God this was confusing.

Loki felt more relaxed. She _was_ telling the truth. He was glad that she wasn't a threat to him or his plans. She was just a weak human. Now he had to figure out what he was going to do with her. It would be a waste to get rid of such a pretty human being. Maybe she could still be of use to him.

He stood up, walked towards her and leaned against the desk, half sitting, half standing. He could feel her knee touching his leg. She shivered. The pretty little wench pulled her face back, trying to stay away from him and his rage as far as possible. Did he scare her that much?

He reached out to her face, Ava tried even harder to pull back, but she couldn't move because of the invisible force. Loki cupped her cheek with one of his hands, stroking her soft skin with his thumb. He felt her heart racing. After a few moments she gave into his touch, still scared, but realizing he wasn't going to inflict more damage on her.

He needed her to trust him, even if it was just for a bit. Otherwise this wasn't going to work. Loki gently placed his fingers on her burst lips, she winched because of the sting but the pain immediately faded away. Then he put his fingers on her nose, making the sticky and dried blood disappear.

'You are coming to Stuttgart with me. I have a party to attend to and some business to finish. A lady on my arm will make me look less conspicuous' his voice was calm and commanding. 'You do not have a choice. If you behave from now on I will not put you under the spell again. Do not outrage me, the consequences will be severe. Do you understand?'

Ava nodded.

'Good girl.' He rose from the desk, towering over her. He hesitated for a moment but leaned in. His cheek was touching hers and he placed his lips near her ear. She shivered again, not used to his cold touch. She smelled his cool minty breath as he whispered: 'By the way. This is not a dream.' Having that said he walked away from her, leaving the room. He found that this human approach was a lot more effective on her.

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**Yay! I'm going to update again this afternoon.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I just couldn't withold this chapter from you guys. Read and enjoy, and please let me know what you think of it. Giving feedback will only benefit the story. **

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Loki returned within minutes, holding a big white box. 'You can stand. I've released you from the grip.' Ava stood up and turned around to face him. She wanted to leave. He placed the box on the desk. 'Put this on. I want you to wear this at the museum. I believe it is your size.' Ava looked at the box. 'I will let you change now. I will be back in a few minutes. We leave right away.' Without looking at her any further he walked out of the room.

Ava carefully lifted the lid of the box. She pulled the dress out. Black and green, what a surprise. Underneath lay a pair of black heels and some golden jewelry. She had to admit, it was an elegant outfit. Sexy even.

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Humans were so slow in everything. They actually had to manually change clothes, they had to eat, and sleep. Such a weak species. Loki transformed his outfit into a classy suit with overcoat and a long scarf. He waited a few moments before re-entering the office.

Ava had changed into the dress. It stopped Loki in his tracks, his eyes gliding over her bare shoulders, every curve, her long legs. Did he feel a tinge of warmth in the pit of his stomach? It made him a bit nervous.

'Good. You're beau-,' he caught himself just in time and corrected himself, 'you dressed. Good.' He diverted his eyes away from Ava.

'Can you help me with the necklace?' Ava asked politely, afraid of setting off any triggers. Loki grabbed the jewelry from the box. He stood behind her and brushed her hair over one shoulder. Ava felt his coldness close to her skin. He fumbled a bit with the necklace. For a moment they both just stood there.

'You err… you look beautiful' he said softly, it was almost a whisper.

'Thank you.'

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They were sitting in the car, a black Audi, on their way to the Stuttgart museum where the party would take place. Loki had managed to control his temper around her, knowing that he would frighten her by acting outraged. Ava, on her part, had done her best not to provoke him in any way. Even though she was still scared and she didn't want to be in this situation. It was okay for now, she couldn't change anything about it. But if she found the chance to escape tonight she would take it.

'What kind of party is it? It's at a museum you said?' Ava asked to break the silence.

'It's the grand opening' Loki replied. He let his eyes wander freely over her body while she was staring out of the window. His manly needs were getting in the way of his plans. He shouldn't be distracted by these… these feelings. He ripped his gaze away and started looking out the window as well.

'What are you going to do there?'

'Business' he replied colder than he meant. If everything was going as he had planned she would be free after tonight, she'd never have to see him again.

* * *

They entered the building through one of the back doors. They casually mingled with the crowd, Loki behaving like a true gentleman and Ava playing her part as his "date." He offered her drink after drink after drink, quietly commanding her to drink all of it. She would be better off if she didn't remember a lot of what was going to happen tonight. In the meantime he was keeping an eye out on some of the guests.

'Can you- you bring me to the ladies room, Mr. Lau- Loveyzon?' Ava whispered incoherently into his ear. 'I'm not feeling too well.'

Loki led her upstairs to the ladies room, away from the crowd. This was perfect, this way she didn't have to be a part of the rampage he had planned. The time had almost come to exercise his plan for tonight, but he was going to make sure she was not going to witness it. He dragged her into the ladies room, he waved his hand and his scepter appeared. Ava giggled. He tapped the stone floor and the doors of the stalls flew open. All empty.

'You shouldn't have given me so much champagne, I feel a bit hazy' she leaned on one of the sinks and splashed some water in her face. She kicked out her shoes. 'Too damn high' she mumbled annoyed. 'Whadda you gonna do if I walk outta this place? You gonna kill me? I never asked for this, to be a part of this shit. I hate you,' She walked towards Loki, smashing her fist against his chest, hurting herself because she forgot he's a walking and talking block of ice. 'What are you doing here? What's in this stinkin' museum that you want to much?'

'I'm here to do some business, I told you. And you're not going to be a part of this. I'm not going to kill you, nor get you killed.' Loki replied coldly. Stupid little beautiful wench. Gorgeous weak human being, damnit.

He was such a weird man. Or god, or prince, or king, or whatever he may be. Being all temperamental and shit, she just didn't get what his intentions were with her. Beating her up one second, healing her the next. She shamelessly inspected him from head to toe. He really was a _god_. She got into a fit of giggles while thinking about it. She, being kidnapped by an evil gentleman god. _God_. Taking her to fancy parties, buying her fancy clothes, fancy jewelry. She could be worse off she figured.

Ava saw Loki approaching, she was trying to keep her balance. Damn she was drunk. Did she trigger his bad cop side again? He grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her closer to him. He felt her breath on his skin. His pants felt tighter with every passing moment but he was not going to give into these urges. The clock was ticking. He should've killed her when he had the chance, this was getting out of hand.

Out of nowhere he felt Ava's free hand grab the back of his head and pull his lips against hers. This time it was _her_ grip that tightened. She stroked his lips with her tongue, they gave way and he allowed her to explore. Her mind was clouded with lust and alcohol. Loki was strangely enough aroused by someone else taking control over _him_. But it was not right.

He lifted her up with his strong arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, he turned and pressed her against the wall. Ava felt the bulge in his pants and she grinned, apparently Mr. Block of Ice had some weaknesses. She started to unbutton his jacket and his shirt and placed her warm hands on his cold chest. He felt strands of his hair fall across his face, that was annoying, his hair should at least be perfect while he was losing himself in her touch.

Downstairs the clock beat eleven o'clock. He needed to get into action, Hawkeye will already be waiting at the vault, he needed to move fast. He pulled away and set Ava back on the floor.

'Wha-' she uttered rejected. 'You're gonna just stop?' she slurred drunkenly. Loki ignored her and buttoned everything she had unbuttoned. He fixed his hair.

'Business. You'll be freed of me after tonight Ava. I'm putting a spell on this room that will prevent you from leaving. It will last half an hour, after that, you're free to go.'

She wasn't the only one who was frustrated, but at least Loki could vent it in other ways. He was extremely looking forward to murdering a few people and letting the rest of them _kneel_. He looked back at her when he was already in the doorway, 'Goodbye.'

He closed the door and left her there. While stalking through the hallway he heard a loud 'YOU! … AARGH!' coming from the ladies room. A loud bang followed as one of her shoes thumped the door.

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**This will be the last chapter for this week, for I will not be able to access internet (or any type of technology) until monday. And after that I still have to write ch. 6 etc. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A very short chapter for today! I don't want to keep you waiting for too long! I'm already working on the next one, but I've been terribly busy lately. Thank you Eliana123 for reviewing, it really keeps me motivated, so thank you!**

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It was like someone had set off a bomb in the middle of the party. People were screaming in panic, running in every direction like lunatics. Fear spread like disease. Ava could faintly hear it, her ear pressed against the bathroom door. He hadn't even left five minutes ago, he must have been working fast. He wasn't very careful either, Ava thought. He was definitely going to get caught, if he didn't murder everybody first. It was almost as if he _wanted_ to get caught.

Suddenly Ava's heart jumped and adrenaline shot through every fiber of her body. Smoke. Thick black smoke slowly creeping into the bathroom from underneath the door. There must be fire somewhere, and she was locked in here. She tried to open the door even though she knew it wasn't going to budge. Was she going to burn to death while being trapped by some magic spell?

'HELP! THERE'S SOMEONE IN HERE!' she kept screaming her lungs out while trying to open the window. _Don't panic. Do. Not. Panic. Stay calm._ She tried to steady her breathing by remembering the training she got in the army. It wasn't working.

'HELP! HELP ME! I'M IN HERE!' Ava threw one of the trashcans against the window. Not even a scratch. The thick smoke was polluting the air and she started coughing. This was going so unnaturally fast, she was never going to make those remaining 25 minutes. She needed to get out now. Ava threw herself against the door, again and again.

'HELP! I'M LOCKED IN!' She gasped for air and felt lightheaded. Sweat was trickling down her neck, she felt weaker every passing moment. One minute she was standing here, pressed against the wall making out with this kidnapping murderer, the next she was watching her life flash by while her lungs where filled with smoke. Ava was too weak to stand and sat down, defeated, exhausted, barely staying conscious.

'Keep calm. I'll get you out of here' a male voice spoke from the other side of the door. 'I heard you, I'm going to get you out.' A wave of relieve overtook her when the door burst open with a loud crack.

She couldn't make out any facial features because of the smoke but he was masculine and tall. The man picked her up with ease as she was too weak to stand. He was very warm, quite the opposite of Loki. Ava tried to stay awake, but drifted into unconsciousness before they had even left the bathroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the reviews folks, c3lph t1tl3d, Eliana123, Mad as Hats. The previous chapter and this one are actually quite important, because there is going to be an epic plot twist later on! HOOOOHOOOHOOOO. Enjoy :)**

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When she woke she was lying in a soft bed, in a hospital like room. Ava coughed a few times, her throat sore from inhaling the smoke. As she slowly sat up she saw fresh clothes laying on the bedside table, all labeled S.H.I.E.L.D. A towel and some toiletries were on top. Time to wash the scent of smoke out of her hair. She wondered who the person was who saved her. She guessed she would find out soon enough, probably a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

'I shall escort you to Dr. Fury, Ava' she heard a familiar voice say when she left the bathroom. When she looked up she saw Agent Coulson standing near the entrance of the room and she smiled.

'You're alive!' she hugged him tight, he didn't really know how to respond to that. Luckily for him she let go immediately. 'I'm so happy to see you!'

'We are happy that you are alive and well Ava' he responded. 'I will now take you to Dr. Fury, he needs to speak with you.'

'How did you know I was awake?' Coulson grinned. 'Motion sensors everywhere.'

Dr. Fury was a tall man. A dark man. A scarred man. An intimidating man. He was everything she had expected him to be. Another man was pacing the room, his arms broad, his hair long and blonde, his clothes much like Loki's but different in a way. Nothing you would find in a regular shop here on earth. Ava sat in a chair, quite nervously.

'I am Dr. Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., this is Thor. He's Loki's brother. I am going to ask you some questions, regarding your kidnapping and escape.' Ava nodded consentingly. Thor was quite the opposite of Loki.

'Please, tell us everything. Start at the day you went missing' Dr. Fury's voice was low, and there was no hint to any emotion. Ava told them how she had gotten into the truck during the evacuation and how they had arrived at the underground lab.

'So, he gave me a dress and jewelry to wear and took me to the museum. He was actually kind of nice, compared to the beating I took earlier. He was calm, cold still, but his temper did not flare up.'

Thor frowned, Dr. Fury was listening patiently.

'He gave me drinks, _a lot_ of drinks. When I got a little… well, hazy, I asked him to take me to the ladies room and he did. He was being very courteous. I got angry at him for dragging me here, for taking away my freedom and I asked him what he wanted from this museum. He didn't like that much. He locked me in there, he said he would put a spell on it that would prevent me from leaving for thirty minutes after he left. After that I would be free to go.' She deliberately left out the embarrassing parts where she had drunkenly grabbed and kissed him. Thor frowned again. Ava wondered what he was doing here.

Dr. Fury spoke, 'Okay, what happened then? How did you get out of there?'

'Well, about five minutes after he left the smoke reached the bathroom and it filled rapidly. I thought I was going to suffocate there so I tried to escape but I couldn't possibly break the spell. I got really dizzy and by that time someone smashed the door in and took me out of there. I don't really remember anything after that.'

'What smoke?' Dr. Fury asked. Thor had stopped pacing and was looking at her with full concentration, a questioning look on his face.

'The smoke… from the fire?' Ave replied, not understanding this rather stupid question.

'There was no fire.'

'Well, there was smoke, so there was fire' what was he trying to say?

'There was no fire. We cleared the building after we had taken Loki captive. Besides some destruction on the ground floor the building was unharmed. There was no fire. The nurse took care of you and there were no traces of anything like smoke in your body.'

'I'm not making this up. I lost consciousness because of it, and when I woke up my hair smelled like smoke' was this some kind of joke? They probably think she was making things up.

'Who got you out of there?' The Dr. asked.

'One of your guys? I don't know, I never saw his face.'

'We found you alone on the steps of the museum, while Steve was battling Loki.'

'Well, it must have been someone else then, does it really matter? Loki could've easily made you see anything he wants to to cover up his own tracks. It matters that she is safe now, and out of the hands of my brother. This could've easily gone bad for you, woman' Thor spoke. 'He's very deceitful, he has played tricks on me as well while growing up.'

After the conversation she had gotten back to her new bedroom and lay on her bed trying to get some sleep. Even though she was physically fine, she was exhausted emotionally. She sleepily drifted away when she heard a knock on the door. 'Come in' she grumbled. It was Thor.

'You have not told us everything woman. I know it and Dr. Fury knows it' he said, his voice much more friendly than Loki's or even Dr. Fury's. He sat on the chair in the corner, not minding that Ava was trying to sleep.

'Yes I did. You know everything.'

'No, we don't. I know Loki. He would have killed you, your just a weak disposable human being in his eyes. But he kept you alive. Not even that, he made sure you were _safe_, and then let you _go_. That is strange behavior for someone who killed eighty people in two days and once tried to murder his own father.'

Ava's eyes grew wide.

'Well. There might be something, but I don't possibly see how that is informational to you…'

'Tell me.'

'We kissed. In the bathroom. But I was drunk, I regret it, knowing who he is and all. I could tell he was _really_ into it. If you know what I mean. He told me I looked beautiful in the dress, and that he wasn't going to kill me, nor get me killed' she felt her cheeks turn red.

Now it was Thor's whose eyes grew wide.

'He forced you?'

'No. No he didn't, I promise.'

Thor stood up abruptly. 'I know enough. Thank you for sharing this information. We will talk about this soon.'

Very soon indeed. Twenty minutes later she was back with Dr. Fury and Thor. She sat on the same chair as before, sleepily.

'We are going to make an offer. You can't refuse it. You have no choice in this' Dr. Fury said. 'You will become a part of the plan. You will be kept safe at all time, but for your own protection and ours you will not be granted information about the Avengers initiative. Thor has concluded that Loki has a weak spot for you. We are not quite sure what it is yet, but he has behaved out of order around you, according to Thors experiences with him. We are also not sure if our plan is going to work but we will find out soon enough. If not, nothing is lost. Time will tell how things will play out. We expect you to do the following … …'

* * *

**Booyeah, it wasn't Steve! x**


	8. Chapter 8

**I wrote half of this chapter under the influence of exhaustion and the other half while listening to 'Don't fear the Reaper' by the magnicifent Blue Oyster Cult. Maybe that shines through a bit. I hope you like it! :D And thanks to the reviewers! :)**

* * *

There he was. Standing in the middle of the glass cell. His hair and clothes still perfect, a slight smile on his thin lips as she appeared into his sight. Ava wore the outfit S.H.I.E.L.D. had provided her, a black pants, black shirt and black shoes.

'Black suits you. But the dress was a prettier sight' he said coldly. Ava had not expected any differently. She ignored him. She had her arms crossed and she stayed at a distance hesitantly.

'They caught you.'

He didn't respond and did not show any facial expressions. He didn't care about being here. It was probably his plan all along. Now Ava just had to get it out of him. But first she was going to address another thing.

'I should probably not expect an honest answer from you, as you are an murderer and all, but you said you weren't going to kill _me_ nor get me killed' Ava's voice was cold as well.

'And here you are. Alive and kicking. Why are you here? I let you go.'

'Did you make the smoke appear? Did you try to murder me by suffocation?' She had to know. It had not been a hallucination like Thor suggested.

The thought flashed through his mind, _somebody had tried to murder her? _'No' he replied.

'Well, then there was somebody else who tried to kill me? Luckily I got saved' she got a bit angry. He was playing games with her. Nobody believed her and she wanted answers. She walked towards the cell. 'A good 20 minutes before your little magic spell was supposed to end.' Ava stood tall, almost as tall as Loki himself, her nose almost pressed against the glass. Determined to get this out of him. He found that rather appealing in a woman.

'Not possible' _not by humans_ _at least._

'Then how. Did I. End up. At the. FUCKING. STEPS?' She was trying her hardest not to lose her temper. She kind of understood now how he felt when he lost his temper. 'Do not lie to me.'

'I'm not.' He remained calm. This human being was as interesting as he had suspected. He recognized himself a bit in her at this moment.

'I'm not losing my mind' she said fiercely.

'You're not. I believe you' he moved towards her. 'It must have been something else. But there's no way of knowing what.'

Did she hear a hint of emotion in his voice? Was that him _caring_? She was exhausted and she dropped herself onto the floor, leaning against the glass with her back turned towards Loki. Maybe she should get some sleep first and come back tomorrow, when she was thinking clearly again. A long silence fell.

'I would help you if I could' she heard him say. She turned her head to look at him and saw him sitting in the same position as she was. 'But I can't. I'm in here. Locked.'

'I'm not going to let you out if that is what you are trying to do here' she replied. Loki didn't reply, he just watched her. It annoyed her. He didn't want to help her, he was trying to get on her good side. Just as she would have to try to get on his good side. This was going to be a huge mess, she could foresee it already.

* * *

Her dreams were terrifying that night. She bathed in sweat and tangled herself in her blankets. She was in the Stuttgart Museum again, but this time she was running through the hallways trying to find an exit. There was a fire somewhere, she could tell by the smoke, but she didn't know where exactly. She could feel the heat on her skin.

At the end of the hallway she saw a dark figure walking towards her. When she came closer she recognized him as Dr. Fury. He spoke calmly. 'Why are you running? Are the hellhounds after you or something?'

Ava tried to speak but couldn't. She ran on, leaving Fury behind her, to be consumed by the flames. She looked behind her trying to make out his figure in the smoke but bumped against someone else and fell to the ground. Before he helped her up he gently stroked his lips against the back of her hand.

'I'm terribly sorry for letting you fall, mylady.'_ Loki_. 'Is it the fire that frightens you? I will help you, I will keep you safe, I will cool you down when you get too hot' a sly grin appeared on his lips. 'I'm also the God of Mischief and Lies.' Ava backed away. She had to get out of this building. 'Are you leaving?' he asked. 'We just got started. We've got unfinished business remember?' Ava ran away from him, he didn't follow her.

She found a staircase and descended until she reached the ground floor. It was the main hall where the party had taken place. A gruesome sight welcomed her. The guests were sprawled on the floor, some peoples limbs were scattered around the room. Their bodies burned, unrecognizable. The stench alone was terrifying. Ava immediately walked towards the double door, the entrance of the building. She caught a glimpse of four people standing outside, waiting for her to pass the doors. One of them she recognized as Thor. She grabbed the handles of the door, expecting it to open for her but it didn't move an inch.

'It's not going to open that easily' she heard a familiar voice say from behind her. She turned to see who it was. It was a tall and handsome man, masculine. Dressed in a red suit. He calmly walked a few steps towards her. 'I will save you again. I will open the doors in a minute. Don't worry.' Ava still couldn't speak. Was this her savior from before?

'I just had to meet you in person. I couldn't contain my curiosity. Consider it an honor, I don't show myself that often.' He had a friendly expression on his face but Ava knew he was serious.

'I want you to know that I _will_ come back. When the time is right. That is all up to you and the –' his sentence got cut off. An invisible force passed them and the doors burst open behind her. She wanted to scream but she still couldn't make any sound. She saw Loki standing at the top of the stairs, holding his scepter, looking angrier than ever. The man in red turned and looked at him, not impressed.

'Leave' Loki told Ava.

'Loki, Loki, Loki… Such an honor to meet you…' the man in red spoke, almost jokingly.

'LEAVE' Loki screamed this time. Ava didn't hesitate, she turned and fled right into the protective arms of Thor.

* * *

Ava jumped up from the bed, breathing heavily. She walked towards the bathroom to splash some water in her face. She leaned against the sink for a few moments to calm down. It really was her savior. He was on her side. The only one, really. She walked back to the bed when she smelled it. The smoke. She looked around, but didn't see anything. She put on some clothes and walked out into the hallways of the hellicarrier. She was going to prove this. Frantically she knocked on the room of Thor, surprisingly he was still up.

'Come with me. You've got to smell this.' Thor followed her to her bedroom. 'You smell it too, right?'

'Not really. What is there to smell?' This was not going to work out. They were never going to believe her. Something or someone was playing tricks on her. Either that or she was truly going crazy.

'Never mind. I just thought I smelled.. uhm. I had a nightmare. About the nasty Stark Astronaut food' she smiled meekly. 'I'm the chef you know! The master chef, I do not tolerate crap like that in this Hellicarrier!'

'Ah, didn't know that. Good thing these people got their cook back!' he laughed friendly. There was a certain click between them. 'Well, goodnight mylady' Thor smiled 'see you in the morning. Hopefully with better breakfast than yesterday.' It didn't seem like he judged her or anything but it felt a bit awkward on her part.

'Sorry for disturbing you, Thor. But thank you for coming with me.' She closed the door as he walked away. This was a lost cause. It would be better if she kept this to herself in the future. But there was one person in this flying fishtank who wasn't going to tag her as delusional, for he already carried that label himself.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello dear ones, thank you for reviewing :3 This chapter is a bit longer and it's got a suprise at the end! I hope you like it!**

* * *

She spent most of the next day baking in the one of the kitchens on the hellicarrier, even though she was off duty as long as Loki was aboard. It kept her mind of off these crazy things that were happening to her in these past few days. She hadn't seen Thor, nor Loki or any other agent she had met previously, since she had woken up. It probably had something to do with that team they were forming. What did Dr. Fury call it again… The Avengers? Ava put the third tray of cupcakes into the oven when Agent Coulson walked in.

'I guess I would find you here,' he said, grabbing a pair of cookies. Apparently the strict mr. Coulson was bit of a sweet tooth.

'Can I help you?' Ava asked, mixing up the icing for the next batch of cupcakes.

'It's time to meet the team.'

* * *

'I actually think that it is a good plan to weaken him emotionally' Bruce said.

'No, no, no. What help is it going to be? You think he'll go all mushy, tell her all his strategies, and when he finds out she's been on our side all along he'll cry and call off his plans?' Tony replied. 'He's not the idiot he wants us to think he is.'

'He got himself caught quite easily back in Stuttgart' Dr. Fury interrupted. 'I'm sure he's here for a reason and Ava can find out what it is. If she doesn't, nothing is lost. But if Loki finds out that we're using her to get to him, all of this will backfire completely. That is the risk we take.'

'Dr. Fury is right' Thor added.

'Do you think you can do it?' Bruce focused his attention on Ava. She looked at Thor for reassurance.

'Well, Thor knows him best I guess. He told me that Loki normally doesn't behave like that around mortals or women in general. To me it seems like he has an impenetrable shell surrounding him, to keep him safe from further emotional harm. If he, according to Thor, has already opened up that shell a tiny bit for me, the least I could do is try. Whether this is going to succeed is an entire different story' Ava said while looking around the table, making eye contact with everybody she had just met half an hour ago. Steve, Bruce, Tony, and Natasha. They all seemed like good persons, but she doubted if they really formed a team. Maybe getting on Loki's good side was more important than it seemed.

Ava felt so uncomfortable sitting at that table like she was some sort of important person. She wasn't. She was welcomed as if she was a part of the Avengers initiative, again, she wasn't. Ava felt like an imposter. What did she do to deserve being here? She had the misfortune to have left an impression on this villain, and now she was going to be thrown into the lion's den because of that. She felt quite drawn to him, she must admit, but she couldn't deny feeling a bit reluctant about this all. For now, she just wanted to hide in the kitchen again, away from these arguing people, away from this horrible unmoral plan that was forced upon her.

'Trying is not good enough. You're a spy now. I can give you some tips if you like.' Natasha turned to Ava. She was right. There was no turning back.

* * *

That evening late, when most of the people were asleep she went to visit Loki. She had permission to do anything at anytime to earn his trust. Loki was sitting on the bed when he saw her approaching. He stood up, but didn't come any closer.

'Hi.' Ava said, a bit more confident than last time. She carried a basket of baked goods and put it on the floor.

'Good evening' he replied. Ava walked up to the glass.

'I'm here for your help' she said. Loki came closer.

'Tell me.'

'It's about the smoke. I smelled it again last night. Just the smell, the smoke wasn't actually there. It scares me. It was right after I had a dream about it. You were in it as well…' Ava sat down against the railing of the bridge leading towards the cell. She stared into the nothingness as she explained what had happened in her dream.

Loki didn't reply. Truth was, he didn't know _how_ to reply to this. It didn't ring any bells and he certainly never met anyone like the man in red. Nor did he know about anyone or anything who could do that.

'So, this man saved me from you. The second time he saved me. First I see smoke and he saves me, I dream about him and I smell smoke. It doesn't make any sense.'

Loki still didn't reply. His mind was working overtime but the answer wouldn't come. His silence disappointed Ava.

'Well, I've made some cookies and cupcakes' she sighed. She got up and pressed a few buttons on the control panel. It turned off the cameras, audio equipment and the alarm. A small window opened in the glass cell. Loki frowned. Ava got the basket and handed it to him through the window. She felt safe even though this man had not always treated her with care. The window was too small to escape through anyway. Loki reached for it and nonchalantly put his hand on hers while taking the basket. A slight blush crept upon her cheeks.

'Thank you, it is much appreciated.'

Ava turned everything back on again. 'I hope you enjoy it. Goodbye.'

* * *

Ava was dreaming again. She kept hearing Loki's voice. He felt so close to her. She wanted to feel his touch again. And she did. She jumped up from the bed terrified, pulling the blankets up to her chin although she was wearing a tanktop and shorts. 'What- What are you doing here? Oh my god!'

'Just call me Loki.' Loki sat on the edge of her bed, watching her, brushing away a strand of hair while she slept.

'Get out of here!' she said frantically. That was not a good idea, what if anybody saw him? She tried to remember if she had turned on the alarms of his cell. She did. But… Damnit. The window. 'How did you get out of there?'

'Technically I'm _still_ _there_. But you leaving the window open enabled me to use astral projection. Don't be afraid. They won't notice the difference. Get back on the bed. I won't bite. I'm here to _talk_.'

'NO.'

'I'm not going to do you any harm. I promise you.'

'You've done me harm in the past, why should I believe you now?'

'Good point. Well, just keep standing there if it pleases you. I wanted to tell you that the baked goods you delivered were very delicious. And that I have a theory about your hauntings.'

'You do?' she came closer driven by curiosity.

'I didn't cause the smoke in the museum. So, whoever saved you, he didn't save you from _me_, for I wasn't hurting you. The contrary, I was protecting you for what was going to happen next.' She knew he was talking about the eyeball and i-command-you-to-kneel situation.

'Why would you protect me?'

Loki stood up, flexing his hands, hesitating whether to tell her or not. 'I mean you no harm. You're just a weak human being. You cause no threat to me. Besides, I have my reasons.'

'What reasons?'

He ignored her. 'It's impossible for a human being to break my spell. Therefore, the man in red is not human, neither is he Asgardian, for they cannot break my spells either. With the exception of practitioners of dark magic. He is real though. I have seen stranger creatures in my lifetime, and believe me when I say I have been around for a long time.'

'Do you practice dark magic?'

'Among others.'

'What others?'

'It's time for you to stop asking questions. Do you want me to help you?'

'Yes. Why are you trying to be such a dark person? Why do you want to be evil? What's in it for you?'

That left a hurtful _pang_ in the pit of his stomach. He walked over to her briskly, she backed up but got stopped by the wall. 'I've been patient enough with you. I treat you well but you don't deserve it.' He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head against the wall. His body pressing against hers. He was fighting his physical needs. It was making him weak.

'Is this what you call good treatment?' she hissed aggravated. She had no clue how to make him talk, she wasn't cut out for this kind of job. She was a bad interrogator and probably just let her emotions take over.

'Tell me how much you hate me.'

'I'd kill you if I had the chance.'

'Try me. Tell me that you despise me with every fiber in your body.' She felt his breath on her skin, his grip around her wrists starting to burn.

'I'd hit you in the face if I could. With an axe' she spat.

He merely grinned. He leaned in and placed his lips against her ear. She felt his hair brush her cheek.

'Ouch! Good girl, you've still got your morals straight. Make sure you don't lose them.'

'I won't' she replied. Such a lie. She was losing already.

'Even if I do this…?' he softly placed his lips on her earlobe and stroked it gently with his tongue. 'Or this…' he moved his mouth from her ear to her neck, kissing every piece of skin between her jaw and collarbone. He pulled away from her jaw, placed his nose against hers and looked into her eyes, as his lips brushed hers. 'I do believe we have unfinished business.'

She was finding it hard to resist him. But she may not give in. Loki still looked at her fiercely. He could see the inner struggle she was battling and that amused him to no end. He grinned. 'I thought so.' He pressed his lips on hers and demanded access to the rest of her mouth. She granted him all of it. Loki let go of her wrists and she let her arms fall onto his shoulders, her hands gripping his black hair. His chest was rock hard –that was not the only thing- and his armor was getting in the way.

He picked her up and moved her to the bed, laying her down gently, not breaking the kiss. With a wave of his hand his armor disappeared and he was left in his undergarments. Ava didn't even notice it, being all caught up in the heat of the kiss. She moved her hands from his messy hair to his lower back and pulled at the hem of his shirt. He was a lot broader than she had expected. She tugged the shirt over his head, only breaking the kiss to breathe and throw the shirt away. She let her hand wander over his flawless back, feeling the muscles. 'I- I don't think you're a dark person' she whispered. Loki hovered over her, stopped in his tracks, looking at her in shock. 'There's a loveable person inside of you. Someone that deserves to be loved.' Ava cupped his cheeks. He was at loss for words. His silver tongue had turned into lead.

Loki answered by tearing away her top and moving his lips to her collarbone. She moaned. His hands moved to her shorts, hers to his. There would be no sleeping tonight. 'This. This is not-' she gasped for air as his fingers stroked her thigh. 'I will not harm you. If you won't harm me' Loki whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I had a lot of stuff going on these last few days and not everything was as positive as I'd like. But on the bright side, thank you so much for all the reviews! That made my day, honestly. This chapter is number 10 already. Enjoy!**

* * *

His chest moved steadily and calm, his breathing soft. A satisfied man. One bare leg, covers pulled to his waist. Skin the color of milk, lips and nipples a soft shade of pink. His hair was messy and uncontrolled, framing his face, making it look less hard and serious. He had a sexy morning stubble. Ava lay on her side, watching him, mesmerized. She didn't dare touching him, afraid of waking him up. This man, laying next to her- he was just as human as she was.

Ava never saw him that way before, she saw him as an… an alien almost. As something that was not human, but not yoda-like either. Dr. Who looked like a normal person as well. The demons in Supernatural also had human bodies, but Loki wasn't a demon at all. She really shouldn't compare this _god_ to any of the series she'd ever watched. Ava had reached another level of understanding after these last few nights. He had needs, desires, feelings. It made him human, but with some extra abilities.

Loki had visited her every night since a few days ago. He had behaved like a gentleman, they had talked, laughed, made love. She saw a twinkle in his eyes every time she walked into his sight. Just a few hours ago they were talking about growing up, and the differences between their worlds. He'd had a good life, but it was emotionally hard on him being the one in the shadows of others. Ava had wondered whether to play this information to Dr. Fury but Thor would know this information as well. She didn't want to be a part of this plan anymore. She genuinely liked him. As a person and as whatever he was. Ava brushed a strand of hair away from his face.

Suddenly his eyes fluttered open, in shock almost. He just lay there on his back, staring at the ceiling for like a second before he turned his head towards Ava. It frightened her a little. Was he angry at her for touching him? 'Meet me in 15 minutes' was all he said and he vanished into nothingness.

* * *

'What's wrong? Why did you leave so suddenly? Did I do something wrong?' she asked as she walked into the corridor of the glass cell. He was standing near the glass wall, a worried look upon his face.

'Something is here. It's an invisible presence that is keeping an eye on this flying metal beast. It's nobody from Asgard, I can sense it.'

'Do you have an idea of who it could be? Could it be my man in red?' she asked hopefully.

His lip twitched at _my_ _man_. 'I don't believe so. Conjuring up smoke is simple magic. _This_ is something much worse.'

'But _you_ can't make smoke appear?' she asked before she thought about it. That hit a visible nerve.

'I am a Frost Giant. Not a fire spitting _lizard_!'

'You are a what?' Ava replied. She threw her _he's a bit human after all_ theory out of the window.

'You ask too many questions wench! Do you really think I am ignorant? Do you really think I will just _tell _you what I'm up to? We finished what we had started in Stuttgart and I have no longer use for you. I must say, it was a true _pleasure_ to meet you, wench. Maybe I'll come for you when I'm king of this useless rock so you can pleasure me again. But don't be hoping too much.'

Ava stood there as a statue. This is where she drew the line. She was done using others and being used by others. Besides she did not want to be on the same ship as he was. Ava walked out of the corridor, towards the meeting area where she knew the others would be. She walked past Thor and Coulson who were talking in one of the hallways. Coulson followed her, Thor went the opposite way to meet Loki.

'I'm done. I'm out. Send me back to main land, I'm not a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore.'

Natasha looked up from one of the security monitors. Bruce and Tony where in the lab and came out when they heard commotion.

'I heard everything. I'm sorry Ava. We knew this was going to happen, he's a monster' she said. Natasha walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. 'You did good, we know he's a Frost Giant now, he probably has something planned with the other Giants. We also know he's not after earth, it must be something else,' Natasha looked at Tony, Bruce and Dr. Fury, who just walked in.

Ava's eyes wondered to the monitors. She should have been more careful. Of course the others had known what had been going on between her and Loki. For all she knew it could be exactly what they wanted. Get on his good side, get to know about his plans they said. Do _whatever_ it takes. She felt like a whore. Loki's whore. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s whore.

* * *

'Turn off the audio and camera's brother, I won't speak before I know we're alone' Loki demanded. Thor walked over to the control panel, staring at all the buttons, rather confused.

'The three on the top left.' Thor did not question his brother, even though he was trying to take over the planet he did make some sense sometimes.

'Ava is in the control room and I don't want her to hear what I'm saying. Don't ask questions, just listen Thor, this is important to me.' Thor nodded, this was going to be interesting.

* * *

Over a week had passed and Ava was trying to adjust to normal people's living. She hadn't thought of finding another job yet, she wanted to clear her head before getting back into action. She didn't mind living with her brother until she found an apartment for herself but she needed some time away. The perfect way to do that was to drive into the mountains, to her parent's cabin. It would be empty and she could be alone for a few days.

She turned the radio up when she heard 'One more time' by Daft Punk come on. She was enjoying herself already. No work, no worries, no Loki, no evil plans. He could have the world if he wanted it. S.H.I.E.L.D could start a war, whatever, she didn't care anymore. Ava grabbed a water bottle from the passenger's seat but it fell onto the floor. She cursed and tried to grab it, leaning away from the steering wheel. She lost sight of the road for just a split second, grabbed it, and leaned back into driving position, seeing a truck head towards her. She frantically pulled the wheel, heard the horn of the truck and swerved off the road into woods next to it. Everything went black.

* * *

She didn't remember climbing out of the car but there it was; the rental smashed against the tree. Pretty much wrecked. Ava shivered. She checked herself for any blood or fractures but found none. It was strange. The car was totaled and she was fine.

There it was again. The smoke. It must be the car this time. Ava looked around when she heard leaves ruffle, someone was approaching.

'It's such a pity that truck had to be there' a familiar male voice. There he was. The man in red. Standing next to her. Looking splendid.

'You- you are- why are you, what happened?' she uttered.

'You got into an accident? That's pretty obvious isn't it?' he said friendly. Ava looked back at the car.

'Well, yeah, but I don't understand how-'

'How you are standing here and why I appeared to you?' he slowly walked towards the car that was about 50 metres away from them. 'Follow me, Ava. You'll see that you're not really _here_.'

Ava saw what he meant. Her throat closed, a knot appeared in her chest, she started hyperventilating. She was still inside the car. Head smashed against the steering wheel. Blood dripping slowly and thickly from her temple. Drip. Drip. Drip. Her eyes where wide open. She was dead. But not really, because she was looking at herself.

'Calm down girl. I'm here to save you. I told you I would be back' he smiled at her, laying his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. 'Let's take a walk, away from this horrid sight.' Ava followed his lead. They walked away from the crash site.

'I am here to offer you another chance at life. You may wonder why, well, I'll tell you. You are invaluable to this world, and to many other worlds. But most of all, you are invaluable to me, and _my_ world. I'll be frank. It's not because of who you are, it is because of what you are to a dear friend of mine. See, he'll be devastated to hear about your death, even though he won't admit it. Do you who I am talking about?'

Loki. 'Err, Hawkeye?' she was so confused. A small lake was in front of them. It was beautiful, the water was still, shimmering. Reflecting an image of herself. It was not her time.

'I'm talking about Loki. You know that. I don't want him to get hurt, nor do I want you to get hurt. You two belong together, it's in the stars. I also know you are not ready to die yet. You can't leave this life without telling him what he means to you… Even though you are a bit hard headed and you don't want to admit your feelings for him. Am I right?'

How did he know all this stuff? Was he a stalker? What kind of creature was he? All that Ava knew was that he was on her side_. Their_ side. 'Err, yes?' But he was right.

'I must also mention that you are with child. His child. And this child must live.'

Her mouth dropped. She wasn't pregnant. At least, she didn't think so, everything had been normal.

'I'm… I'm pregnant? And it's Loki's?' she stammered.

'Of course it's Loki's. Now, I am an angel. As you might have noticed, I am the red angel, and I represent life. I can give yours back to you. I will provide you with extra powers, that will protect yourself and the child from any further harm. It will make you both strong and live long and healthy lives. A life you can spend together with Loki, if you want.'

'What's the catch?' she asked.

'You keep the child safe until it is grown healthy and strong, it will get top level education and it will become a leader. The king of all realms. It is destined to be that way, that is why we cannot lose this soul. Are you in? Tell me.'

She had to chose between life or death? A long, healthy life? A child? She touched her abdomen.

'Tell me now.'

'Yes, I choose life.'

A grin appeared. He placed both his hands on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. His were blood red. 'I go by the name of Lucifer by the way. And you just made yourself a deal with the devil.'

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**I hope you guys liked it. I was thinking about writing a fic about Mr. Hiddleston himself but I bet this is not the right place to do it. If I would write it, would you like to read it? If yes, where do I post it? I know this is a bit off topic :3 But he's just so... RRRRRR (pretends to make the pterodactyl sound).**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm sorry it is so short :( I'll make it up in later chapters. And thank you for reviewing!**

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'I need S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep an eye on her. Whatever it is that is following her, it's also here for me. It's power is strong. It is much more powerful than anything that roams the nine realms. I am warning you. S.H.I.E.L.D. has a bigger problem than this rock.'

'What is following her?'

'It's not here now. Which means it is after Ava. I've made a big mistake, Thor. I did not realize that she would be safest on this ship surrounded by a bunch of retards in spandex and metal. I'm not sure what it is that keeps haunting her, but it is something from the underworld.'

'The underworld? You mean the smoke?'

'Hell, Thor. Hell.'

Thor frowned. Loki had deceived and lied to him before, besides, he had made an attempt to rule the planet and he stole the tessaract. He wasn't a fool.

'I'm not sure whether to believe you on this brother. The odds are against you this time. You're not really in the right situation to make any commands.' Thor turned around. He had enough of his brother's mischief. This had gone way too far. He walked towards the control panel.

'Thor. Listen to me!'

'You killed 80 people. You stole the tessaract. You have assembled an army, you're in for war Loki. I chose the rest of this planet over one person. If that makes me the bad guy, so be it. I do not want you to get hurt but you leave me no options.' He switched the equipment back on and walked away, without looking back at the man in the cell. Reconsidering if growing up together was enough to make them brothers.

* * *

Ava turned the radio up when she heard 'One more time' by Daft Punk come on. She was not enjoying herself. She knew she was heading to her parent's cabin but something was off. Did she forget anything at home? It was probably nothing. She should be looking forward to a few days of rest. No work, no worries, no Loki, no evil plans. He could have the world if he wanted it. S.H.I.E.L.D could start a war, whatever, she didn't care anymore. Ava grabbed a water bottle from the passenger's seat but it fell out of her hand onto the floor. _Didn't she already_- was she having a déjà-vu? She cursed and tried to grab it, leaning away from the steering wheel. She lost sight of the road for just a split second, she grabbed it, and leaned back into driving position, seeing a truck head towards her. Instead of pulling the wheel she closed her eyes in panic, holding her breath in expectance of the crash that would cause her death. When it didn't come she dared opening her eyes. Her rental car stood still in the middle of the road. The truck was gone.

Ava got out of the car, searching the trees for the crash site of the truck, but there wasn't one. A shadow hovered over her. She looked at the tarmac. It was a rectangular shadow? Ava looked up, in shock. The truck was hovering right above her, just_ being_ there. Her eyes grew wide. She remembered. Lucifer. Loki. She had to tell Loki. She'd never been so scared in her life. Ava didn't know whether it was because of the floating truck, the unexpected pregnancy or her deal with the devil. She walked backwards, away from the truck, tears streaming down her face. A hiccup escaped her throat. The truck crashed to the ground.

She knew she had made a huge mistake. She chose life, but what kind of life? She needed Loki for this. If he truly didn't want to have her, or his child in his life, she would make sure that he'd never have to see her again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Yes, yes. I know it took me forever. My life has been crazy lately.**

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Another week had passed. Ava had spent the days at her parent's cabin, her unfixable rental scraped off the tarmac and brought away to a nearby town. She was stuck here anyway, she'd better enjoy the tranquility. Nobody was looking for her over here, nobody knew her, nobody knew what had happened with Lucifer. It was just her and her mind –and not to forget, her baby-. Well, and those pesky journalists who had asked her about the truck. The one that came on Monday had clearly been a city boy, probably sent out from the office to do some research on insignificant stuff in the middle of nowhere. Still trying to earn his stripes. The one that came on Tuesday had seemed confused almost. Like someone who could be hunting Big Foot. He'd had a long beard and he didn't look like a journalist of any kind. Maybe he was some kind of paranormal enthusiast. Ava had answered just a few of their questions, playing dumb. Of course she didn't know how that truck ended up on her rental. No, she didn't remember a thing. No, she wasn't on drugs. Then she had told them to go away and not to come back, nor send any of their friends over.

She rummaged through the house. Did some cleaning. Cooking- soulfood mostly. Trying to keep her life as normal as possible. To get her head together before she took the next step. She had cut her long hair and it barely reached her shoulders now. It looked shabby, but she liked it. She tried to write down what had happened, how her life had changed in the last few months, but she couldn't get it onto the paper. She figured she should either write it off, or scream it off, or try to deal with it; or stay busy and keep her mind occupied on other things. She went for the last option. Lucifer hadn't appeared but she felt his presence now and then, that was enough to know he was keeping an eye on her. Somehow she knew she was _safe_. Knowing he was there made her feel comfortable. She damn well knew he was the devil himself, but he hadn't appeared to her as a threat, more like a lifesaver.

During those days she had found her senses heightened. She heard better, smelled better, saw things sharper than ever before. It wasn't annoying her, it wasn't driving her crazy, it was quite likeable really. She didn't feel any stronger, she didn't feel different at all. Just the senses. Nothing too crazy. She wondered if Lucifer had given her any awesome superpowers, maybe she hadn't enabled them yet. Or maybe she didn't have any.

On Thursday the journalist with the beard returned. She had heard him approaching from half a mile away and stood next to the door waiting for him to ring the bell. He was an impostor. This time, he was dressed as an employee of the gas company, holding a clipboard, wearing an orange jacket with a matching cap. Ava crossed her arms as he approached her, curious to why was back again.

'Hello, miss. I errr, I came from Electrabel, you know, the company that sells gas, and I err, was wondering if you where err, feeling hot, lately?' the man asked nervously. It amused Ava, she raised an eyebrow.

'Feeling hot? It's almost freezing outside, I'm most certainly not feeling _hot_' she replied nonchalantly.

'I was send out to check the heating systems and all, in this area, so if you don't mind, would you answer some questions for me lady?' he asked, looking at the paper on his clipboard, a few stickmen where drawn upon it.

'Sure.' Ava was wondering where this was going.

'Did you experience any drastic changes in temperature while inside the house? Did you use the oven lately, if yes, what did you prepare? Does the dish that you have prepared contain any meat or chocolate? Did you see or smell any unexplainable smoke lately? Did you experience any trouble with the hot water tap? Did you-' his sentence got cut off by Ava. He looked up from his make believe question sheet.

'Who are you and why are you back?' she asked harshly and uncaring.

'I am, err, Henry the err, from err, nearby.'

'Do not lie to me.' She felt stronger, empowered by whatever it was running through her veins. It also scared her hearing herself talk like that, she was never the kind to be harsh to anyone.

'Argh, horseknuckles, I give up' the man threw the clipboard and the cap onto the ground. 'I am Vollstag, from Asgard. One of the Warriors of Three.'

'What are you doing here Vollstag from Asgard? Who has sent you?'

'I was sent here to make sure you where alive and well, on the orders of our King to be, Thor. I have seen for myself that you are still breathing so I will leave you be and return this information to the Prince.' Vollstagg turned and walked off the porch. Ava's impulses won from her new found attitude.

'It contained meat. A lot of meat. There still is some if you like.'

'You know,' Vollstagg said as he turned back around and walked up the porch again, 'he wouldn't mind if I came back a few minutes late.'

'Yeah. So, I was sent out here, to keep an eye on you,' Vollstagg said with a mouth full of casserole, 'but of course I got sidetracked at a restaurant and I decided to check some of the other ones out as well. I missed out on so many opportunities to spy on you but I'd rather be in a diner than in the bushes, you know.' He took another sip of the wine Ava had poured him. 'I'm terrible at this anyway, I'm no good at pretending to be a human being. I figured that if I would just approach you and you where alive and well, that would be good. If you'd still be alive when I came back that would be even better. And you are, so my job is done.'

'Thor thinks my life is in danger?'

'Yeah, yeah, otherwise he wouldn't have sent me here, would he Lass? Are you not drinking that wine?' he pointed at her untouched glass. She had poured herself one as well but quickly remembered that she wasn't supposed to consume any alcohol.

'No, you can have it. How are things at the hellicarrier?'

'I've only been there for a few moments, Thor didn't tell me much. He seemed agitated. Like the times when Loki had stressed his nerves or when he told lies and gotten Thor to do all this crazy stuff. He's not known as Silvertongue for nothing, you know.' His eyes turned glassy, staring into nothingness, his fork hovering mid air. 'Ah, that time when Loki said that Thor would turn into a Frost Giant if he didn't kiss the old blind and deaf wench down at the fountains. Good old days. That must have been decades ago,' Ava's heart jumped when he mentioned Loki. Vollstagg snapped out of the memory. 'Look who's a Frost Giant now. The kid had better kissed the wench himself. Nothing is what it seems eh, Lass?' he took another bite.

'Vollstagg, what are Frost Giants exactly? What are they capable off?'

* * *

Loki sat on the edge of the bed in his cell. Making her leave was one of the hardest and stupidest thing he had ever done. She was like a toxin to him, making his heart and brain go weak, making him soft. He remembered how Thor had been weakened by a woman, this Jane girl, down in New-Mexico. At that time he didn't understand how a woman could weaken a man, how she could make him soft. Women where there to make men stronger, and to reproduce. He understood now. His universe had stopped revolving around him, it was now revolving around her, Ava. That was what was most important to him now. Not himself, someone else. Never had he felt about a woman like this before. He had intercourse with women before, Asgardian women, who were strong and most of the time powerful as well. He liked his bedmates powerful, knowing they would all _kneel_ for him in the end made him feel good. But that was only to satisfy his needs, he'd use violence if necessary. It was different with this wench. She was a weak human being, with no special abilities or powers, a mortal body, but she had made him understand the term 'making love.' He craved her.

Thor stormed into the cell area, hitting the top row of the buttons on the panel, still not knowing the use of all the buttons. 'Vollstagg has not yet returned. It has been four days without word. I'm thinking of going myself, this is a bad sign.'

'I will be forever grateful if you do' Loki said, standing up gracefully. 'I know I'm not in the adequate situation to advise you on anything Thor, but this is going to be the beginning of a war. Not only between me and rising Hell. This is concerning all of the realms. This little piece of shit organization should better focus on this than on me.'

'Stop trying brother,' Thor did not know who or what side to be on. Loki had gotten his way again. Thor would never forgive himself if something truly happened to Ava because he didn't listen to his brother. Then again, Loki had used up his "please believe me, brother"-cards a long time ago. Still, Thor gave him the benefit of the doubt as he always did. 'This will only be a concern for the nine realms when I have proof that hell is rising. Until that time, you will stay here, locked up. This could also be one of your twisty little plans.'

'I would never harm Ava. I made a mistake by sending her off, I want her back on this bloody ship again, where I can make sure she is safe! I'm sure you have made arrangements for that desert girl as soon you set foot on this metal bug. Vollstagg absence isn't proof enough for you? Lucifer has risen Thor, somehow Ava is a part of it. My plans to conquer this useless rock are nothing compared to what we are dealing with now!'

The inner conflict within Thors being was tearing him apart. He saw the truth in his eyes, the tears welling up, the sincerity. Loki wouldn't rest until he knew she was safe and unharmed. The agents on this ship, Dr. Fury, they'd never believe him. He had to find out for himself, go after Vollstagg, see Ava and bring her back. That would settle everything. At least, it would settle Loki.


	13. Chapter 13

**Another chapter, yay! Reviews are much appreciated!** :)

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Thor sat in the common room, pricking his fork into something that looked like eggs, staring at his plate in deep thought. His mind thorn. Ripped up to pieces. Help his brother and deceive the Avengers crew, or stay here and… He knew what he had to do. He was sure Loki wouldn't do the same if it was Jane who was possibly in danger, but Thor knew he would go to any length to make sure she was safe. Agent Coulson saw him pondering and sat beside him.

'I truly miss her cooking. I can see you do too.' he said.

'It's something different son of Coul. A matter of the heart and of the mind.'

'Jane is safe, Thor. We send her away, like you told us to. Don't worry about it. What I wanted to tell you, Loki wants to speak with you. That kid is up to no good' Coulson said.

* * *

The sound of liquid hitting liquid woke him up. Vollstagg scrambled off the couch, which he had fallen asleep on, and walked towards the bathroom. He found the door ajar, Ava sat beside the toilet, emptying her stomach.

'Are you okay, Milady?' he asked her.

'Yeah, I'm fine. Let me clean myself up a bit' she lied. Her abdomen hurt. Pain spiked through it and she was feeling weak. Ava stood up and walked towards the sink to splash some water into her face. A vivid memory flashed through her mind. The last time she was feeling nauseated and decided that water would calm her down, was in Stuttgart. Right before…

Ava had appreciated Vollstagg's presence, he was good company. He enjoyed a drink, a laugh, a serious moment or two. And he was the closest thing to Loki she got. She had made several attempts to ask about Loki but she didn't dare give away too much. Hearing him talk about Asgard was a delight. It seemed such a perfect and loveable place, almost impossible to hate. Loki had told her about his youth and upbringing, he'd keep important parts to himself, but he loathed the place, she could hear it in his voice.

Vollstagg wasn't the only presence she felt. Lucifer was keeping an eye on her again. Almost as if he wanted to be sure the pregnancy was going as it should.

'Do you feel better?'

'Yeah, yeah I do. Thanks' she lied. Ava moved herself to the couch near the fireplace and closed her eyes for awhile. Sleep would do her good. Within minutes she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

After what seemed like hours she woke up because the pain in her abdomen flared up again. She grabbed her stomach with both hands and rolled up into a ball. The pain was unbearable. The fear of a miscarriage filled her mind. She moaned. Vollstagg woke up too and put his hand on her forehead. She was burning up. It was about time Vollstagg reported back to Thor, he had been sidetracked for too long and something was awfully wrong with Ava. But he couldn't leave her here now. He got her a wet towel and put it on her head to cool her down. He didn't know anything about health issues of human beings. They must have Maesters of Health on this planet, but how did he get a hold of them? Ava screeched, Vollstagg almost panicked. What the hell did he have to do to help her? Ava tried talking but the pain kept her from uttering anything at all. At that moment a blast of fire and ashes filled the middle of the living area, setting the rest of the fireplace ablaze. When the ashes and fire died down as quickly as they came, a figure appeared. The man in the red suit. Lucifer. Vollstagg didn't recognize him and stood up protectively. The warrior in him awakened.

'Stand back Asgardian. I am not going to hurt her' he spoke.

'Who are you?!' Vollstagg replied.

'I am Ava's protector. I am here to keep her and her offspring safe. Earth is no place to reproduce, so it seems. I will take her to a safer place' He walked towards the couch where Ava was. She saw him, it gave her mixed emotions. This baby was very important to him and he wanted to keep it safe, but she had no desire to go where he came from. She was not going to hell, even if it was safer.

Lucifer ignored Vollstaggs presence and directed his attention solely to Ava. 'I'm taking you to the realm of the underground.' Ava tried to shake her head. He put his hand on her shoulder.

The moment of departure was interrupted by a hammer flying through the front door, smashing it to smithereens, right into Lucifers chest, smacking him away from Ava.


	14. Chapter 14

**Two updates in one hour! I know this one is a bit short, but believe me, these Loki-less parts are necessary. Enjoy!**

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The sun was slowly rising and it was cold outside, when Thor walked up the steps of the porch. Someone was still up, lights where on and the fireplace was burning. He peeked through the small window next to the door. He saw three people, Ava who lay crumpled on the couch, a man in a suit hovering over her, and Vollstagg who stood back a couple of metres. The man reached out to Ava and put his hand on her shoulder. This was the creature Loki had told him about. From the underworld. Thor figured nobody was in the mood to open the door when he rang it. He threw Mjolnir through the door, leaving it in pieces, hitting the suited man right in the chest where he wanted it, throwing the intruder a few metres back. As long as Mjolnir was on top of him everything should be relatively okay. Thor ran towards Ava, who looked terribly pale.

'What's wrong with her? Why did the hell did you not report back to me?' he snapped at Vollstagg.

'Well… If I have to believe this guy over here… She is errr, pregnant' Vollstagg replied. Thor looked up in shock. Pregnant?

'By who?'

'How should I know? This guy maybe? He sure gave me that impression!'

Lucifer started laughing maniacally. He slowly lifted his head under the weight of Mjolnir on his chest and looked at Thor. 'By your precious brother, the God of Mischief and Lies' he grinned. He put his hands underneath the hammer and lifted it from his chest, slowly but steadily. The hammer fell on the ground next to him, Thor summoned it, and Lucifer stood up. 'Now, we wouldn't want to put the seed of evil in danger?' he looked at Ava, who was frightened.

'That is why I am not letting you near her!' Thor bellowed, alarmed. This man, this creature, was much stronger than Thor. Or Loki. He could only name two creatures he had learned about during history classes, who were physically and mentally stronger than the gods from Asgard; God, who had no human name but God or Lord, and the Devil, who also went by the name of Lucifer. They were creatures of old. They were still a part of Earths belief system, one almighty god for the good, one devil for the bad. It had been like that for all the realms, but belief had faded with the coming and going of so many other Gods. Earth was one of the few places that had stayed with the same belief system. But the Devil hadn't risen since… since, forever? Thor didn't remember, it was something Loki probably knew.

Lucifer approached menacingly. 'Ava is a part of my army now' his words got swallowed by flying debris, the windows broke apart simultaneously. A blue, white and red shield flew through the living room, missing Lucifer by a hair. A red and gold iron suit came walking in, followed by the owner of the shield. The smoke cleared. Lucifer laughed at the sight.

'You brought a man in tights and a guy in iron.'

'We also brought a Hulk' the man in iron spoke. The roof started crumbling and the man who was once Bruce Banner lifted the top part of the house with ease. 'Thor, take Ava and the bearded man back to the helicarrier. We'll deal with this man over here.'

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**I'm also finishing up the first chapter of a Tom Hiddleston fic. Maybe I will upload it on here to see how it will be received by you lovely readers ^^ But I'm not sure yet if I can update it reguraly, due to the fact that a day only has 24hours and I plan my days like they have 32 hours :') **


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